I’m not finished with it yet, but here’s a little sneak peek at my Vogue 2885 jacket.

Bound Buttonholes:

Pink Taffeta for Lining:

I’m hoping the taffeta will give my jacket more body because the suiting fabric I chose is stretchy and a little flimsy.

And…Pad-stitched Collar!

Pad-stitching was completely new to me when I saw it listed in the instructions. I had to do an extensive internet search to get enough info to figure out what I was supposed to be doing. I hope my research will be useful to others looking for guidance. Be reassured, pad-stitching is not as hard as it looks or sounds.

1st source: Ann’s Fashion Studio – I found this post that was a goldmine of technique and provided the one I ended up using. The idea is to draw a grid on the interfacing of your collar or facing and use it to direct the stitching. I believe it was originated by Roberta Carr. (I’m gonna have to find some those DVDs that Ann mentions in her post!) I free handed a grid on my collar according to the Vogue pattern instructions. I needed to have tighter stitching on the collar stand and wider stitching on the wings. That meant smaller grid boxes on the stand portion and larger on the wings. (The yellow basting on my collar is the divide between the collar stand and the wings.)

Then, I actually had to take up the needle and thread. One of my most terrifying moments during the process of making this outfit.

2nd source: Vintage Sewing.info – This site helped me to form a mental picture of what my stitching should look like. The idea is to have miniscule stitches on the right side of the fabric and large, supportive V stitches on the underside. The concentration of stitching strengthens the fabric and gives it a body it wouldn’t ordinarily have.

3rd source: Couture et Tricot – Tany’s post on pad stitching was incredibly helpful for me to see how my collar was supposed to look. Her example is almost exactly the same shape as mine, so it gave me a much better understanding of my goal.

4th source: Sewing Pattern Review.com – I found this discussion on a message board with a helpful tip from someone named Tom P about steam pressing the collar after you finish pad stitching. I followed the advice, and my collar stands beautifully.

I encourage you to give pad stitching a try. It’s very worthwhile for the strength of a collar and it gives you a great sense of accomplishment to know that you mastered a technique of the vintage dressmakers and tailors. It gives your garment a true vintage feel. I even found it relaxing to use the needle and hand sew the pad stitching.

You did a great job. I also have this pattern, but have not made it up, so I’m looking forward to seeing your finished garment.
The pad stitching was from the DVD “Couture Techniques -for Fine Sewing”with Roberta Carr.. It’s has great information.

Hi Casey! I did some tailoring like this a long time ago – it is well worth the time and patience that it takes – it IS a little daunting tho, to pick up a pattern that you know needs this kind of skill and then grab your fabric and go for it. I think you will (should) be very proud of your creation. The pink taffeta will definitely help with the structure of the jacket but the big bomus is that it is going to look fab-U-lous.! I’m impatient to see the end result! (Oh, and BTW, thanks for the good links). ;o)

Hi Judy! Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely words of inspiration! I’m always amazed that even with all of the projects I’ve sewed, I still have that first little fear of cutting into a new piece of fabric. Oh well, it keeps me on my toes! I’m so glad you like the pink taffeta. It’s my first time working w/ taffeta and I’m quite happy with it. The only thing I don’t like about it is the way it holds pin and needle holes. Luckily, I don’t use excessive amounts of pins. But, I’m impatient to see (and wear!) the end result too!